Safety appliance for oil derricks



C. C. WASSON SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR OIL DERRICKS Flled Aug 22 1927 flwlff Jan. 1, 1929.

JNVENTOR, flare; 6577a .sson;

. ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

iterate CAREY G. WASSON, 0F MARICOPA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO FRANK A. WASSON, OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY. APPLIANCE FOR OIL DERRIGKS.

Application filed August 22, 1927. Serial No. 214,649.

having to resort to the usual service ladder, 1

or the more hazardous expedient of jumping.

It is also desirable to provide for the quick application of water sprays to quench an incipient fire, if possible, and to afford protection to operatives in and about the derrick, and especially to shield men on the derrick floor in an'efit'ort to get to the casing head or tool line in the well hole from which escaping gas is frequently the source of in+ tense conflagration. V 7

To the accomplishment of the above ob jects, the invention consists of simple, practic-a1, low cost and substantial means permanently combined with the derrick.

Other objects and advantages, and features will be made manifest in the following specification of the illustrated embodment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the spirit, scope and principle of the invention as it is here claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rig incorporating the invention. 1

Figure 2 shows a fragment of the escape stand-pipe.

Figure 3 is a plan of a part of the top platform and pipe head.

Figure 4 is a plan of a termediate raceway.

The present safety and fire checking apparatus includes means accessible quickly from any point'in the derrick and affording a fixed, smooth track down which an operative may quickly slide to the derrick floor. Preferably this permanent means includes a smooth, butt jointed pipe 2 held at a sub stantially uniform distance from the near portion of the inside of the derrick and being combined with a source of liquid which latter will flow thrpugh and to the pipe and, so, keep the pipe coo.

The lower end of the pipe 2 is attached to pipes 3 and 4, one from a water service system and the other from the usual mud circulating pump,

The upper end of the stand-pipe 2 is 'securely fixed in any desired manner so as to be spaced out from the top platform 5 to allow an operative to swing out and wrap his legs and arms around the pipe and then slide down. The pipe stands clear all the way from top to bottom so that a workman can swing onto it at any point below'the top. As shown in Fig. 3 a bracket 6 holds the upper end of the stand-pipe in out spaced position.

Upon outbreak of fire, the valves? are turned open to supply water or mud, or both, to the stand-pipe, not only to keep the pipe cool but, additionally, to serve liquid to spray means supplied from the top of pipe 2. Such means includes a top nozzle 10 overhanging the crown mechanism, and one ormore spray rings or frames 11. The upper ring connects to the top of the pipe 2, and by a column line, or lines, 12 connects the spaced rings from the top down. The lowermost ring 11 is disposed just overhead at the floor F so 7 that a shower can be poured all about the floor to facilitate access to blazes thereabout, especially at the casing outlet, where chemicals may be effectively applied to choke gas flames.

If desired a lever 8 may be connectedto thevalve means so that when an escaping operative drops down against the lever this will be actuated to open the supply to the stand-pipe 2.

As shown in Fig. 4, the race-way R is cut back to clear the near portion of the standplpe.

Of course it is understood that the standpipe 2 here affords the safe, quick action means which may be used in any emergency, as in fires or threatened blow-out of the hole, or may be employed at will as a convenience in descending from the derrick in ordinary work.

What is claimed is: 1 The combination with an oil derrick, of a 5 sprinkler system having a stand-pipe to the top of the derrick, spray means disposed above the derrick floor, and a feed column connected to the head of the stand pipe and to the spray means; said stand-pipe being supported only at its upper and lower ends and forming an uninterrupted slide track spaced out from and generally parallel to the near side of the derrick.

CAREY C. WASSON. 

